Oyo: JCI Sensitises 140 Students, Teachers, Parents on Mental Health, Depression Management

No fewer than 140 students of public secondary schools in Oyo State alongside their teachers and parents have been sensitised on mental health, stress and depression management.

The President of Junior Chamber International (JCI), Juliet Akinkunmi, in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday, disclosed that 71 students of St Annes Secondary School and 69 at Loyola College benefited from the sensitisation organised by the Olubadan chapter of JCI in partnership with Asido Foundation.

According to her, “A renowned psychiatrist, Dr Jubril Abdulmalik explained that Mental Health as a topic where he noted that it is a state of well-being in which every individual can carry out four major roles namely, strive to fulfil unique potentials, cope with the normal stress of life, work productively and participate meaningfully in the community.

“The common challenges of adolescents include, anxiety, depression, drug abuse, suicidal behaviour and mood disorders which might lead to being irritable or cranky.”

Akinkunmi advised participants on how to tackle challenges around mental health noting that it starts with self-care, understanding the child and adolescent psychology, developing emotional intelligence, encouraging students to engage in social skills acquisition, speaking out and asking for help.